

- Loss of deep tendon reflexes in lower limbs
- Loss of joint positions sense and vibration (doral columns) and stamping gait. (tabetic gait)
- Urinary retention

- Promyelocytic variant - there is thrombocytopenia and DIC -> leading to a bleeding tendency. -> This variant is a medical emergency; high rate of early mortality. Complications: pulmonary or cerebral haemorrhage.
- Some variant causing Gingival hyperplasia - monocytic subtypes M4 and M5

[!TIP] Mnemonic: Seeing gum hyperplasia should make you PANiC
Panic if you see gum hyperplasia
- Phenytoin
- AML <- "rapidly forming gingival hyperplasia is usually the first sign of this disease" Source
- Nifedipine
- Ciclosporin
Treatment of AML
Current standard chemotherapy regimens cure only a minority of patients with AML.
Source
Most young patients should be considered for allogenic stem cell transplantation.
Note: Dead space is NOT a cause for hypoxaemia
: DH-DLS


| purpura - | purpura + (with normal PLT count) | purpura - | purpura of lower extremities |
joint involvement can be monoarticular, oligoarticular (upto 4) and polyarticular (≥5).
Z line deformity
- Commonly affected; causes functional impairment, especially after rotator cuff tears (which occur in RA).
- Being a more proximal joint, it's affected later on in the disease.
Constitutional:
- Generalized aches and stiffness, weight loss, depression, fatigue
Skin
- about 40% of rheumatoid nodules.
- Subcutaneous nodules which may or may not be attached to underlying joint capsules / tendons.
- Generally on sites of repeated stress / pressure. Commonest site is elbows; Occiput and sacrum of bed ridden patients.
- Normally, only of cosmetic concern unless on functional areas like the sole of the foot.
Hands
- Bilateral Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tendon nodules which can cause
- Tendon rupture (esp. of extensor pollicis longus)
- Trigger finger
- tenosynovitis -> Decreased grip strength and range of motion. [[tendonSheathAnatomy.png]]
Rheumatoid lung disease: mnemonic: affects all parts of the lungs
- Pleura - pleuritis - the commmonest pulmonary manifestation -> pleuritic chest pain.
Cardiac: pericarditis is the commonest.
- Mitral regurgitation is an association.
Sjogren syndrome: this is defined as presence of xerostomia or keratoconjuntivitis sicca in the presence of another connective tissue disease.
haematological:
- Anaemia** is universal: Normochromic, normocytic.
- Thrombocytosis: with active disease
- Felty's syndrome: The triad of neutropenia, splenomegaly and nodular RA
- Also associated with lymphoma
Cardiac biomarkers
[!INFO] Types of biomarkers

Don't confuse the different types of biomarkers used in MI.
[!INFO] Key points for exams:
- myoglobin is the first to rise
- CK-MB is useful to look for reinfarction as it returns to normal after 2-3 days (troponin T remains elevated for up to 10 days)

- Troponin levels rise within two to three hours of the onset of chest pain Source
The skeletal and cardiac isoforms of TnT (troponin T) and TnI (troponin I) are distinct. <- that's what's measured in MI.
cTnT = "cardiac troponin T"
skTnI = "skeletal troponin I"
Data suggest that brief periods of ischemia, sudden increases in preload, and physiological challenges like tachycardia and catecholamines can lead to the release of cTn.
4. Pulmonary embolism / pulmonary disease <- caused by right heart strain
Creatine kinase
- CK-MM, found in your skeletal muscle and heart.
- CK-MB, found in the heart and rises when heart muscle is damaged.
- CK-BB, found mostly in your brain. It's also found in smooth muscles such as the intestine or uterus.
- Palpable purpura (non thrombocytopaenic purpura) -> no thrombocytopaenia.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
- Is a protease inhibitor which protects tissues against the action of enzymes like neutrophil elastase.
- Deficiency causes emphysema.
- INheritance: #autosomal-Recessive
- Genetic variants:
- PiMM = normal individual
- PiMZ = heterozygous; risk of emphysema developing if patient is a smoker.
- PiSS = 50% of normal antitrypsin levels;
- PiZZ = 10% of antitrypsin levels; affected and develops emphysema
Management: intravenous alpha1-antitrypsin protein concentrates + smoking cessation, supportive bronchodilators etc .
Source <- Dynamic air trapping in COPD.

